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SPEAKER & PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES

Jaimie Bever Executive Director, State of Board of Pilotage Commission Jaimie has been with the Board of Pilotage Commissioners since 2015 and was appointed Executive Director in 2017. The Board trains, licenses, and regulates maritime pilots in Washington State. Jaimie is responsible for the daily operations of the agency, helps develop policy language and legislation, and acts as the Board's legislative liaison. Prior to this work, she spent 10 years as a Right-of-Way Agent and Project Manager representing BNSF Railway Company in property acquisitions for track expansion and mudslide mitigation projects around the country. She has extensive experience with cross-team collaboration, including federal, state, and private industry. When she's not working to support and improve the safe and efficient transportation of goods on land and water, Jaimie enjoys playing the harp, working in the garden, and family time with her husband and two teenage children.

Councilman G. Chad Bowechop Tribal Council, Makah Tribe Councilman G. Chad Bowechop currently serves on the Makah Tribal Council. Prior to his election to the Council, he was an ocean policy advisor for the Makah Tribal Council located in Neah Bay, Washington, as the manager of the Makah Tribal Council’s Office of Marine Affairs. Chad has been involved in helping Washington State create a safer marine environment for a number of years by emphasizing oil spill prevention and enhancing marine domain awareness off the coast of Washington and within the waters of Puget Sound. The son of the late Makah Chairman George Bowechop, Chad learned first-hand from his father and grandfather the importance of the 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay. The Makah Tribal Council's efforts in protecting the Washington Coast from oil spills reflect the Tribe's dedication to protecting the rights that the Makah reserved in the treaty. Chad Bowechop also contributed in the placement of the rescue tug in Neah Bay and the development of the Makah Memorandum of Agreement with the US Coast Guard District 13, represented the Makah Tribal Council in the State's Vessel Traffic Risk Assessment, facilitated the Makah Tribe becoming the first tribal member of the Regional Response Team and Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee, and has assisted with the passing of federal and state legislation for spill prevention and vessel traffic safety measures

Tim Brewer Senior Reservation Attorney, Tribes Mr. Brewer has been working as an attorney representing Native American tribes for over 25 years. He has worked in the Office of Reservation Attorney at the Tulalip Tribes since 2002, handling a variety of legal matters, including and natural and cultural resources protection.

Dr. Richard Dewey Associate Director of Science, Ocean Networks Canada Born in Medicine Hat Alberta, Richard moved to Victoria BC when he was 5. Here he grew up sailing, skiing, and playing tennis, and has never wanted to move too far away from the ocean. He received a B.Sc. in Physics from UVic (1983) and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from UBC (1987). After working in Oregon (1987-90) and Washington (1990-95) for several years, he move back to Victoria in 1995 to work at the University of Victoria. A founding co-author of the original VENUS Cabled Observatory proposal in 2001, Richard is the longest standing employee at Ocean Networks Canada, contributing to the VENUS and NEPTUNE visions, developments, and installations. At ONC Richard is the Associate Director for the Science Department, where he leads a team of Staff Scientists that manage the hundreds of research projects and initiatives supported across all of ONC’s ocean observing installations. While a Physical Oceanographer by training with a particular interest in coastal dynamics and processes, his collective knowledge spans the broad interdisciplinary nature of marine and earth sciences.

Patti Gobin Special Project, Tulalip Tribes Patti Gobin has over 25 years of Community Development experience with the Tulalip Tribes. Presently, Ms. Gobin is with the Natural Resource Treaty Rights office working with state, local and federal agencies regarding those issues that impact the life ways of the Tulalip Tribes. Patti has served on the Gathering Steering Committee since 2005, and has engaged in transboundary work in the Salish Sea. In addition to her years of experience, Ms. Gobin is a member of the Tulalip Tribes and is well versed in the culture and history of her people. Her personal goal is to invest in the future of the Coast Salish community, helping to affect a sustainable future for the next generations to come.

Chief Leah George-Wilson Co-Chair, First Nation Summit, Former Chief, Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Leah George-Wilson is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation (TWFN) located in North Vancouver. She was elected to a third term as Chief of TWN in May 2019. In 2001 she was the first woman to hold the office of Elected Chief for the TWFN, a position she held from 2001-2003 and 2005 – 2009. Ms. George-Wilson previously worked for the TWFN for many years in various positions including member of the TWFN’s negotiating team in the BC Treaty Process, TWFN Self-Government Coordinator. and Director of the TWFN Treaty, Land and Resources Department. Ms. George-Wilson’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Simon Fraser University. She is currently attending the University of Law School. She also sits on a number of boards including: the Lands Advisory Board, the Canadian Tourism Commission and the BC First Nations Health Council. Ms. George-Wilson was elected in June 2019 to her seventh consecutive term as co- chair, the 2 member administrative executive of the First Nations Summit. As co-chair, she deals with the administrative issues of the FNS and works with the First Nations Summit Task Group (FNS political executive) who are authorized by the Summit to carry out specifically-mandated tasks on issues related to treaty negotiations in BC. The Summit represents the majority of First Nations in BC on treaty related issues and other issues of common concern to First Nations.

Coast Salish Gathering Co-Chair Ray Harris Chemainus Nation and Co-Chair, First Nations Summit Ray Harris (Shulqwilum) is a member of the Chemanius First Nation on . He has a broad range of cultural, political and on the ground experience in First Nations issues. He previously served for 15 years as the elected chief of the Chemainus First Nation which provided him a breadth of experience in finding solutions to issues effecting his community. Mr. Harris is an active commercial fisherman who travels yearly up and down the BC coast. He has been instrumental in organizing the Coast Salish Gatherings and the formation of the Coast Salish Council which focuses on environmental and resource health in the Coast Salish Sea and region. Ray is the father of 11 children and has many grandchildren and great grandchildren. All of these experiences are guided by Ray’s deep connection and participation in the cultural traditions of the Coast Salish. Mr. Harris was elected in June 2019 for a fifth consecutive term as co-chair, the 2-member administrative executive of the First Nations Summit. As co-chair, he deals with the administrative issues of the FNS and works with the First Nations Summit Task Group (FNS political executive) who are authorized by the Summit to carry out specifically-mandated tasks on issues related to treaty negotiations in BC. The Summit represents the majority of First Nations in BC on treaty related issues and other issues of common concern to First Nations

Nhi Irwin Statewide Resources Section Manager, WA Department of Ecology Nhi Irwin has been with Washington State Department of Ecology for 14 years and has been involved in the development of legislation, rule writing and implementation of many of the oil spill regulations in Washington State. She is involved in local, state and cross border issues as a member of the Northwest Area Committee and Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force. Nhi currently supervises areas of work in enforcement, investigations, research and data management, performance measurement and training. Nhi’s education background includes degrees in political science and economics.

Dale Jensen Program Manager, Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program, WA Department of Ecology Dale was appointed Program Manager for the Washington State Department of Ecology, Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program in August 2001. The Spills Program is a statewide program responsible for activities that include: spill prevention, preparedness, response, and natural resource damage assessment. There are approximately 81 FTEs and 27 after-hours responders located at four regional offices, two field offices, and headquarters, with a two-year budget of about $45 million. Dale is a commissioner with the Washington State Board of Pilotage Commission. Dale also spent nine years as manager in the Department of Ecology’s Air Quality and Toxics Cleanup programs. Prior to Ecology, Dale spent three years implementing the Governor’s Efficiency Commission Study. Many of the results from that study are still in place today. Prior to state service, Dale was a small business owner/operator in retail, agriculture, and environmental consulting. Dale grew up in Montana and now lives in Olympia with his wife Laura. They have three children and two grandchildren. Dale has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Montana. He enjoys spending time outdoors, biking, hiking, and skiing with friends and family. Dale places importance on establishing and maintaining good stakeholder relationships, and a high priority on partnerships to protect the environment. He believes if we hold our regulated community to a high standard, we need to hold ourselves to that same standard. Accountability and performance are essential to our shared success.

Haley Kennard Natural Resource Policy Analyst, Makah Tribe Haley Kennard is the Makah Tribe’s Natural Resource Policy Analyst. She was recently hired into this role after working in the Tribe’s Office of Marine Affairs first as a Washington Sea Grant Marc Hershman Marine Policy Fellow and then as a contractor for several years. Her previous work focused on oil spill planning and response and climate resilience. In this new role, Haley supports the natural resource management and treaty resource protection priorities of the Makah Tribe more broadly. She holds a Master of Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington where her research focused on collaboration and the role of tribal governments in coastal restoration projects, climate change and flood risk management, and social science methodologies.

JD Leahy Maritime Risk Modeling Specialist, WA Ecology JD Ross Leahy is a Maritime Risk Modeling Specialist at the Washington State Department of Ecology. He is the staff lead for outreach for the oil spill risk model development project and supports the modeling effort with technical expertise on maritime operations. JD is a professional mariner with years of experience as a bridge officer on overnight passenger vessels and has firsthand experience as a vessel operator in the Salish Sea, on the Washington Coast, and on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. He is also a graduate of the University of Washington School of Marine Affairs.

Laurel Nash Assistant Deputy Minister, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy Laurel joined the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change as the Assistant Deputy Minister role in June 2019. Laurel has worked in government for over 20 years in the Natural Resources Sector, holding such roles as the Director of Petroleum Lands and the Chief Gold Commissioner at the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Laurel grew up in in the Northwest Territories, before coming to B.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Victoria. She currently lives in Victoria with her husband and two children.

Dr. Emma S. Norman Dept. Chair, Native Environmental Science, Northwest Indian College Dr. Emma S. Norman serves as the Department Chair of the Native Environmental Science program at Northwest Indian College, on Nation, where she has been on faculty since 2001. She is a political and environmental geographer whose work engages at the intersection of water governance, political geography, and environmental and social justice. She has published in a range of journals, including Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Geopolitics, Society & Natural Resources, Water Alternatives, and Global Environmental Politics. Her latest book, Governing Transboundary Waters: Canada, the United States, and Indigenous Communities (2015), was awarded the Julian Minghi Prize for best book in political geography. In addition, she co-edited two books: Water without Borders: Canada, the United States and Shared Waters, and Negotiating Water Governance: Why the Politics of Scale Matter. Prior to her academic career, Emma served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, as an environmental educator with the Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis Spills Preparedness Section Manager, WA Dept. of Ecology Linda Pilkey-Jarvis manages the oil spill preparedness program for the Washington State Department of Ecology, overseeing the approval of contingency plans, the state’s evaluation of industry drills and the regional planning between Washington, Idaho and Oregon. She is the co-author of Useless Arithmetic, a critical review of applied mathematical modeling and Retreat from a Rising Sea. Linda is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spent 8 years in the United States Coast Guard working in the marine safety field. She is a past recipient of the Washington State Governor’s distinguished leadership award.

Hon. Grand Chief Steven Point Chancellor, University of British Columbia Hon. Grand Chief Steven Point is the current Chancellor of the University of British Columbia where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2013 for his exceptional commitment in the field of law, legal and Aboriginal education, and his leadership in the Indigenous community. In addition to his role as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Dr. Point’s career has included practicing as a lawyer, working at the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and in the Department of Employment & Immigration, serving as a provincial court judge and the Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission, and chairing the advisory committee that worked to implement the recommendations from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. Dr. Point is a member of the Skowkale First Nation and has advocated for Indigenous people throughout his career, pressing for greater recognition of their contributions and their fuller involvement in all aspects of life in British Columbia.

Sumas Nation Chief Dalton Silver Chief, Sumas Nation Sumas First Chief Dalton Silver was elected Chief in 2003 and continue to be a strong leader across Coast Salish Nation and Canada. Chief Silver has served as a founding member of the Coast Salish Gathering, a member of the Lower Frasier Fisheries Council, and serving as a representative on several governmental committees across Canada. The Sumas First Nation, also known as the Sema:th people, is a band government of the Sto:lo people located in the Upper Fraser Valley region, at the community of Kilgard, part of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The homelands were central to the Coast Salish territory; and our families moved freely amongst our villages to gather food and practice ceremony. Our traditional lands include Sumas Mountain, Sema:th lake and drainage of the Stat_lo_ (streams) which lead into it.

Chairman Lawrence Solomon Council Chair, Lummi Nation Lawrence Solomon is a Tribal Council member. He is a US Navy Veteran. His work has been instrumental in bringing Lummi culture to the youth as leader of the Lummi Blackhawk singers and dancers. He spends many hours and days teaching and practicing and taking the youth to events such as the Journey.

Hilary Wilkinson Executive Coordinator Team, Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force & Veda Environmental Principal Hilary Wilkinson is a certified facilitator, stakeholder engagement/public outreach expert, and mediator with over 15 years of experience helping advance ecosystem conservation efforts in the Salish Sea region and beyond. Her work spans a variety of issues and geographic areas, from improving elk herd management in the North Cascades and restoring tidal estuaries in the Skagit delta, to addressing contentious water rights issues in the Nooksack River basin and advancing oil spill prevention, preparedness and response across the west coast. For the past six years, she has served on the Executive Coordinator Team for the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force (www.oilspilltaskforce.org) where she has led transboundary coordination efforts and supported entities focused on boater education and clean marina certification. She currently chairs the Abandoned and Derelict Vessel (ADV) Workgroup and the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (POSPET). Hilary has a BS in Political Science from Occidental College, a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Indiana University, and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) from Indiana University.

Pola Wojnarowicz Environmental Recovery Toxicologist, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy - Environmental Emergency Program Pola has been with the Environmental Emergency Program at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy since June 2018. Her work with the Recovery pillar of the Program is the culmination of a wide range of previous experiences in the environmental field from academia to industry and molecular to management. Originally from Saskatchewan, Pola completed an undergraduate in toxicology from the University of Saskatchewan before eventually making her way to Victoria where she completed a Master of Science at the University of Victoria.

Assistant Deputy Minister Jessica Wood BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR) Known as Si Sityaawks – (Woman who creates change) Jessica is from the Gitxsan and Tsimshian First Nations with extended roots among the Tahltan and Nisga’a Nations. Currently serving as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Reconciliation Transformation and Strategies Division, Jessica is leading British Columbia’s cross-ministry work to adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (The Declaration), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, and learnings from the relevant case law such as the Tsilhqot’in decision. As part of this transformation she has led, in collaboration with the First Nations Leadership Council, the development of legislation to implement the UN Declaration in provincial law. The Declaration Act received Royal Assent in November of 2019. In September of 2020, Jessica joined UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs as a Public Policy Fellow. She is an experienced community developer whose portfolios have focused on issues related to race relations, residential school, sexual health, sex work, Indigenous women and gendered violence. She was the first Indigenous woman in Canada whose work as a municipal social planner focused solely on the health and safety of sex workers and impacted communities, gendered and racialized violence, and the prevention of youth sexual exploitation. She has previously held positions working on the Residential School Settlement Agreement and the National Film Board documentary Finding Dawn, a film about missing and murdered Indigenous women in

Canada. Jessica is a long-time organizer with the Vancouver DTES Women’s Memorial March Committee.

Todd Woodard Director, Natural Resources, Indian Nation Todd Woodard, Director of the ’s Natural Resources Department, holds an AA in Environmental Conservation Technology and a BA degree in Anthropology with a minor in Biology. Todd has over 18 years’ experience in field sample collection and environmental monitoring and data analysis, management and grant administration mostly with Tribes in Western Washington. In addition, Todd has been involved in numerous stream and beach restoration projects involving riparian planting and large woody debris placement as well as grants management and reporting activities. As the Director of Natural resources for the Samish Indian Nation, Todd and his staff are tasked with “Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing Culturally Significant Natural Resources and Habitats within Samish Traditional Territory for Current and Future Generations”. In his spare time, Todd is an avid sea kayaker exploring the waters of the Salish Sea and beyond.